MACDefender is the latest piece of malware to pop up targeting Apple's OS X platform. Its risk is minimal as it can only install via a combination of an exploit and user carelessness. (Source: Intego)

Cybercriminal community's interest in attacking Apple users is growing, but still lacks discipline

According to a handful of dedicated hackers of
Apple, Inc.'s (AAPL)
computer operating system, OS X, the OS isactually
less securethan Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT)
Windows. But thanks to the OS's small market share (traditionally 5
percent or less) most cybercriminals haven't felt it worthwhile to target the
platform. Also, some hackers have misgivings about attacking Unix-like
operating systems (e.g. Linux, OS X).

Still, Apple's growing market share and boastful
claims of security have lead to an increased interest in attacks andsome
OS X malwarehas been popping up of late.

The latest malware to target OS X is dubbed
"MACDefender". Attack pages for the new malware exploit the way
Apple's default Safari browser handles Javascript, running a script that
auto-initiates the download of a script file. If the user has opted to
open "safe" files, the archive will then auto-open and initiate an
install dialogue.

The risk is minimal as users must approve of this
dialogue and enter an administrative password to complete the installation.
Still it may be a bit more widespread as the attack pages have boosted
themselves to near the top of many search results, thanks to search engine
optimization (SEO) poisoning.

It is unclear what the software does when active,
though it appears to be logging user activities. Users who accidentally
installed the software can still delete it by killing its process and dragging
it from the Applications folder to the Trash bin.

Members of the Apple Support community first noted
the malware last Saturday.

When a user clicks a link after performing a search on a search
engine such as Google, this takes them to a web site whose page contains
JavaScript that automatically downloads a file," Intego said. "In
this case, the file downloaded is a compressed ZIP archive, which, if a
specific option in a web browser is checked (Open 'safe' files after
downloading in Safari, for example), will open.

The malware unfortunately shares its name with a legitimate
OS X software firm. MacDefender is a
small software firm that makes geocaching software, including GCStatistic
and DTmatrix. The company hasreleased a statementemphatically
saying that it isnot affiliated with the rogue software.

The company writes:

IMPORTANT NOTE: As it seams (sic) someone wrote a virus/malware
application named mac defender (MacDefender.app) for OS X. If you see an
application named like this DO NOT DOWNLOAD/INSTALL it. I would never release
an application named like this.

In recent months botnet-forming
wormsandtrojans
have targeted OS X. Most of these pieces of malware have been amateurish
efforts, though, or works in progress. Nonetheless it remains a very real
possibility that Apple could one day see a serious attack.